This invention relates to electrosurgical generators and in particular to improved circuitry for generating RF drive pulse trains in such generators.
With the increase in operating modes of electrosurgical generators (for example, four CUT and two COAG modes), the need to efficiently generate these wave shapes both in terms of cost and parts count is becoming increasingly important. Typically a substantial number of integrated circuits and an associated printed circuit card are presently dedicated to the generation of RF On and RF OFF drive pulses. In reducing the cost of such electrosurgical generators it is important the foregoing circuitry be substantially reduced.
It is accordingly a primary object of this invention to provide pulse generating circuits for use in electrosurgical generators which substantially reduce the complexity and cost thereof.
The foregoing is implemented by using shift registers and other storage devices such as PROM's in a novel manner in electrosurgical generators to effect the desired pulse generation. Although pulse generators using storage devices of the above type have been employed in other applications, their employment in the manner described hereinafter in electrosurgical generators is novel.
Other objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent from a reading of the following specification and claims taken with the drawing.